Up and Down El Rio Blanco: Gumption

Rio Blanco County republicans held their annual general assembly last Saturday in Rangely on the CNCC campus with 51 delegates attending. I admire what republican chairman David Smith called the “gumption” it takes to “step up” and run for office.
It does take a lot of initiative, courage, aggressiveness, resourcefulness, spunk, guts, common sense and shrewdness — all admirable traits — to run for an office or local board. It is my hope we all remember, especially on a local level, the candidates are our relatives, neighbors and friends, let’s stick to the issues and work together for solutions, putting principles before personalities.
As our relatives, neighbors and friends, all the candidates are approachable and we should listen to their ideas and goals but in the end make sure we vote, because every vote counts.
It also takes a lot of gumption to compete on a national level, not only in politics but in athletics. It’s fun to know Rio Blanco County has produced a couple of athletes who are currently competing on a national level. They are making us proud and we support their gumption.
Jason Brenton, who set and still holds the Colorado 2A state triple jump record, competitively returned to the sport of track and won the triple jump event in the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships. I remember watching him set the record in Pueblo in 2005 and look forward to watching him compete in the same Colorado city for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, where he will compete in the triple jump and decathlon. Jason is already a five-time All-American.
I also remember watching Meeker High School graduate Joe LeBlanc win three Colorado State wrestling titles and I’m looking forward to watching him vie for a national title this week in St. Louis in the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. I spoke to him by phone and he said he is healthy and wrestling “the best I ever have,” I can’t wait to watch his gumption!